Course Description

A survey of the natural processes at work in the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere of the Earth, as well as Earth's place in the universe. Includes an introduction to astronomy, geology, oceanography, and meteorology. Designed to fulfill laboratory science core curriculum requirements. Must be taken concurrently with EPSC 1370.

Objectives

Introduce the students to the fundamentals of astronomy, geology, meteorology, and oceanography. Have the students learn the basic composition and nature of the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere of the Earth.

Textbooks

Turback and Lutgens, 2000, Applications & Investigations in Earth Science, Third Edition.

Instruction

Multimedia approach, internet assignments, and laboratory assignments. Note that this class will involve some fieldwork. Realize that it is likely to be extremely hot so dress appropriately and bring some water.

Lab

(Refer to Exercise in Tarbuck and others to Look Over Before Lab)

• Week of Jan. 14 Internet Map Reading Exercise (TAMIU Lab 1)
• Week of Jan. 21 NO CLASS, MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
• Week of Jan. 28 Reading Latitude and Longitude (Lab 21)
• Week of Feb. 4 Introduction to Topographic Maps (Lab 3)
• Week of Feb. 11 Running Water and Groundwater (Lab 4)
• Week of Feb. 18 Arid and Glacial Landscapes (Lab 5)
• Week of Feb. 18 LAB QUIZ I
• Week of Feb. 25 Waves, Currents, and Tides (Lab 11)
• Week of Mar. 4 Atmospheric Moisture, Pressure, and Wind (Lab 14)
• WEEK OF MARCH 11 - NO CLASSES - SPRING BREAK
• Week of Mar. 18 Internet Exercise: Looking at Local Weather Data from the Center for Earth and Environmental Studies (TAMIU Lab 2)
• Week of Mar. 25 The Moon and Sun (Lab 20)
• Week of Mar. 25 LAB QUIZ II
• Week of Apr. 1 The Study of Minerals (Lab 1)
• Week of Apr. 8 Overview of Rocks (Lab 2)
• Week of Apr. 15 Examining the Weathering of Headstones (TAMIU Lab 3)
• Week of Apr. 22 Analysis of Weathering Rates (TAMIU Lab 3)
• Week of Apr. 29 LAB FINAL

Course Policies

This section covers some elementary rules of behavior in this class, including what you can expect from us (Prof. Tobin and the student assistants) and what I, in return, expect you.

1. You will be expected to attend all lecture and lab sections.
2. No talking or other distracting behavior will be tolerated during the lecture. This includes the last 5 minutes of the lecture period.
3. I will treat you courteously and with respect.
4. If you have a question, please ask it! Don’t be afraid of looking "dumb." In return, I will make an honest effort to answer your questions.
5. Graded exams will be returned in one week.
6. If you have a valid excuse for missing an exam you must inform me, ideally in advance, most certainly no later than 24 hrs afterward. Note that the make-up exam will be significantly different from the original exam.
7. Critical, you must attend the lab section for which you have registered.
8. Please bring any problems to my attention in a timely manner! We will deal with them in a timely manner.

Plagiarism

"Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the student will receive a grade of "F" in that course, and the matter will then be referred to the Executive Director of Student Life for possible disciplinary action."

Copyright

"The Copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine of up to $250,000 and imprisonment."

Evaluation of Students

Total: